Chicago Medical Malpractice: Woman Files Illinois Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Mother’s Delayed Cancer Diagnosis
In Illinois, Noel Mabe named Dr. Vidya Deshpande, Dr. Yogendra Shah, Dr. Stephen C. Arny, and the Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in her civil complaint over her mother’s wrongful death. Eutha Ochoa died of invasive cervical cancer on January 23, 2008. Mabe contends that her mother’s life may have been saved if doctors had diagnosed her cancer sooner. Her 11-count civil suit alleging medical malpractice is seeking over $324,421.56.
Mabe is accusing Shah of failing to provide the proper history to accompany the Pap smear specimen and neglecting to obtain a repeat Pap smear in a timely manner. She contends that the Medical Diagnostic Laboratory failed to take into consideration previous cervical pathology when reviewing her mother’s Pap smear.
Deshpande and Arny are respondents in discovery. Mabe has six months to present evidence against the two doctors to name them as Illinois wrongful death defendants.
Mabe says that before she died, Eutha Ochoa experienced severe pain and suffering, emotional distress, and mental trauma. Her illness resulted in medical costs as well as more than $8,000 in burial and funeral expenses.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer takes time to develop, which means that it can be treated if detected early. It often starts as dysplasia, a precancerous condition that can be identified with a simple pap smear—that is, of course, unless a pap smear is misread and a doctor fails to diagnose the early stages of cancer.
Early signs of cervical cancer:
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Bleeding after intercourse
• Bleeding after menopause
• Heavy, unusually lengthy periods
• Ongoing vaginal discharge
The sooner that cervical cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat and the less invasive the necessary procedures to treat this condition. It is the delayed diagnosis of cervical cancer that can cause a patient to have to endure more painful and invasive procedures, such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hysterectomies. Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosing or failure to diagnose cervical cancer can lead to a decreased chance of recovery and may even lead to death.
Cervical cancer not timely diagnosed, daughter claims, The Record, July 6, 2009
Facts About Cervical Cancer, Illinois Department of Public Health
Related Web Resources:
Cervical Cancer, National Cancer Institute
Cervical Cancer Diagnosis, WrongDiagnosis.com
